"The living, the living, he thanks you, as I do this day..."

Do you ever read something that jolts you awake like a splash of cold water on your face in the morning?

I've had this experience quite a few times recently.  The passage that awakens my heart to some truth previously overlooked, not the splash of cold water....I much prefer to wake up with a splash of warm water.

The title of this post comes from Isaiah 38.  In Isaiah 38, Hezekiah, king of Judah, became sick.  The Lord told Hezekiah that he would not recover from the illness, but Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, and the Lord healed him.  Afterwards, Hezekiah wrote a praise to the Lord.  This is the part that stood out to me:

"Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness;
       but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction,
   for you have cast all my sins behind your back.
       For Sheol does not thank you; death does not praise you;
   those who go down to the pit do not hope for your faithfulness.
       The living, the living, he thanks you, as I do this day;
   the father makes known to the children your faithfulness."

Isaiah 38:17-19

In love, He has delivered me from death.  In love.
What great love.  What deep love.  What a way to define love!
He has cast all my sins behind his back.  I am forgiven and redeemed!

This is what really gets me: "Death does not praise you;"  I've been thinking about unbelievers and wondering how odd and silly and foolish the idea of faith in God must seem to them.  Coming from the "Bible Belt" to Eastern Europe, I've seen a widespread lack of understanding of faith.  Oh yes, there are religious practices, but religion is a formal thing.  In traveling to Western Europe, and just from being friends with Western Europeans, a lack of exposure to religion in general and faith, more specifically, seems to be the issue. Knowing this, I would think I would praise my Lord all the more and be outspoken about Christianity, but ashamedly, I find myself resigning to speaking of my faith mostly with other Christians and speaking to nonbelievers when they ask.  I've been afraid of their doubt, their skepticism, their judgement.  But who are they that I should be concerned about their judgement?  I answer to the Lord.  Yes, it may seem foolish to trust in the Lord to them, but isn't that what Paul spoke of so many times in the New Testament?

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18

The Holy Spirit is still moving and working.  The "veil" is still being lifted from the eyes of the lost to understand the "foolishness of Christ."  

So why should I quiet myself?  These are the dead.  Yes, those who do not know His love, grace, faithfulness are dead.  How can they praise the name of One they do not acknowledge?!

But I am one of the living!  I am alive in Christ!  This is my testimony, "I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. " (Galations 2:20) And as such, I must and I will praise His Name!

I hope you're encouraged and challenged by this as well.  Many thanks for those who have been so faithful to pray for me.  Your prayers are felt.  If you're praying for me, please pray for boldness that my actions and my words would display the love of Christ!  Please, this is my burden, this is my fight: to withstand the doubts and fears and lies that assault my mind and to be a light shining brightly, boldly, and faithfully until the coming of our King.

~ Redeemed